griffith



E. s GRIFFITH. Folding Got Bed.

No. 242,197; Patented May 31, 1.881.

mfacsscs liar/cuter:

6 mm 4, ZZZ 6%3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ETHELBERT S. GRIFFITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING COT-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,197, dated May 31, 1881.

Application filed October 3!, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ETHELBERT SHEPHERD GRIFFITH, of the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention, which relates to fold ing cots,has for its objectto facilitate the folding up of the cot in acompact form; and it con sists in the combination, in a folding bed, with the supports, pivoted together in pairs and arranged transversely to the side rails, and pivoted at their upper ends to the side rails, of braces the terminal ends of which are permanently connected with the side rails and the supports, all substantially as .described, whereby the supports are maintained in proper position when the bed is in use, and adapted to fold in to a parallel position with respect to the side rails when the rails are brought together, and to unfold when the rails are drawn apart, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective'view of my-im proved cot, showing the position the parts assume when unfolded and that they can be folded upon each other to reduce the bed or cot to the smallest possible compass for storage or transportation when required.

The letter 13 indicates the legs or supports of the cot or bed. These cross each other in pairs about midway between their two ends, and at their points of intersection are secured together by means of suitable rivets or bolts in such manner that they can be readily opened or closed. The upper ends of such legs or supports respectively are pivoted to the side rails by the connections D. Those connections are in the nature of hinges, which permit the legs or supports, which are pivoted together in pairs, as set forth, to be folded together on their central pivots, so as to bring the side rails together, the said connections being pivoted to the inner sides of the side rails by means of the bolts 0, as shown in Fig.3, in such manner that they can be folded up' longitudinally between said side rails, (excepting the central pair of supports, which will be folded against the inner sides'of the side rails,) so as to lock the parts of the cot rigidly when folded without the use of other fastening devices.

The letter E indicates a series of braces permanently connected at their terminals with the supports and with sidc rails, so that the sup ports will be maintained in proper position when the bed is in use, and be adapted to fold into a parallel position with respect to the side rails when the rails are brought together and 'to unfold when said rails are drawn apart.

What I claim is- The combination, in a folding bed, with the supports, pivoted together in pairs, arranged -'parallel position with respect to the side rails when the rails are brought together, and to unfold when the rails are drawn apart, as set forth.

ETHELBERT SHEPHERD GRIFFITH. Witnesses lHARLEs PARSONS DOOLITTLE, MONROE OoRsoN WARN. 

